Sam does Discovery Channel

I’m sure you’ve all watched the Big Show — Sam and Dogfish Head take the Discovery Channel, and Sony, by storm. It was quite a romp actually. We got a great glimpse of Sam’s envelop-pushing, madcap, genius and a great look at the team of stalwarts who executes his vision. Fabulous combination.

Meanwhile we also got a great look at the irreverent screw-ups that beset small breweries. We saw the wonder of creating a great beer juxtaposed with the hilarity of the silly things that can hamstring getting the beer into a bottle and out the door.

All in all, a delightful peek behind the curtain. Frankly, I thought Sony got a free ride here. I’m sure they drove the train on putting the whole project in place, but, let’s face it, we’re only talking about a rerelease of an historic album; not the creation of a new work of art, as Sam and his Merry Pranksters affected. (Do you remember where you were when your first heard Bitches Brew? I can.)

The fun bit was how cyberspace was all a buzz over the Blue Moon ads. There remains this concrete distinction between a beer from a craft brewer and a beer from a major brewer. There is something ineffable about this that consumers get and respect.

I think Blue Moon is a serious work of art and love the painting metaphor that they use. I don’t think the team behind Blue Moon has any illusions about being a craft brewer. (They could do a better job of telling everyone where it comes from!) People buy it because they like the beer and/or like the marketing. Anyway you cut it, they are getting turned onto something other than the ubiquitous light lager and that’s fun.

So, let’s applaud light lager drinkers who take a run at a Belgian wit and let’s rejoice in the Belgian wit drinkers who take a run at something wild from Sam and his Merry Pranksters, like maybe a bitching Bitches Brew.